Royal Mail and Prostate Cancer UK: a partnership to be proud of

When you received a letter in the post in the last two years, chances are you’ll have seen a simple message in the postmark: Royal Mail is supporting Prostate Cancer UK. That statement of fact, franked onto millions of letters across the UK, still makes me smile two years later.

I remember distinctly the first time I had a letter land on my doormat at home that had this special postmark stamped on the top right corner. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen it of course, but these things always look better in the flesh, and it reinforced how lucky we were to have landed such a huge and influential partner in the Royal Mail.

Neil Fox models the Royal Mail Prostate Cancer UK postmark

Royal Mail was our first major corporate partner as Prostate Cancer UK, and they helped us launch our new identity. For many people, seeing our logo on their post may have been the first time they had heard of us. Our identity as the largest men’s health charity in the UK has skyrocketed over the last few years (in this year’s Third Sector Charity Brand Index we’re 29 out of 150; in 2011 we weren’t even on the list) and it was Royal Mail who helped light the fuse. That’s some legacy.

Friday 29 August was the last day of this special partnership, and I would like to thank all 150,000 members of staff at Royal Mail for all they have done for us and for men over the past two years. Royal Mail have put everything into this partnership, and through their endeavours, have raised over £2.3 million with match-funding to fund 34 specialist prostate cancer nurses to provide men with support in communities across the UK. You read that correctly: £2.3 million.

Royal Mail staff take on the gruelling Lands End to John O'Groats for Prostate Cancer UK

How did they raise such a colossal amount of money? How didn’t they would be an easier question. I’ve rarely seen such levels of engagement with a workforce this big. From simple ideas like the Give a Quid days, which raised over £70,000, to full on challenges, like the Graduate Challenge programmes, which brought in almost £150,000, the staff of Royal Mail just kept on giving their time, money, and commitment to making a better future for men. The Royal Mail Choir, made famous through the BBC programme, even released a charity single.

Royal Mail graduates arrive at the Prostate Cancer UK London office having cycled from Cardiff

It wasn’t just money that was raised through our partnership with Royal Mail, they helped us spread awareness of prostate cancer across the UK (including within their own workforce). Through taking part in our awareness campaigns such as the Sledgehammer Fund and Men United v prostate cancer, and distributing thousands of our Know your prostate guides, they’ve helped us increase the understanding and awareness of this horrible disease.

Royal Mail take a sledgehammer to prostate cancer

With partnerships as strong as these, now and in the future, I’m confident that we will crack prostate cancer. On behalf of Prostate Cancer UK, thank you to everyone at Royal Mail for all your hard work and support. You have made a real difference to the lives of men with prostate cancer, and there’s no better tribute than that.